DESCRIPTION(Provided by Applicant): The Orthopaedic Research Center of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) plans a coordinated, training effort for which we request 2 pre-doctoral and 2 post-doctoral scientists, one clinician scientist, and three 12 week research experiences for medical students in Year 1. Investigators and clinician/scientists from the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery are already actively collaborating in 3 broad areas: (1) bone biology and biomechanics, (2) soft tissue biology and biomechanics, (3) joint and whole-body biomechanics. These highly interactive areas offer substantial opportunities for didactic and bench-level training in areas ranging from cell/molecular biological techniques to in vivo or in vitro models and clinical research projects. Recruitment plans include incentives for a post-residency clinician-scientist to participate in one of a rich array of clinical-basic science partnerships. We outline the projected organizational and administrative structures necessary to ensure the success of these training opportunities. In addition to focused activities in each of the three topic areas, a range of integrative activities are planned to build upon an established record of education and training in the orthopaedic sciences at CCF. These include a 40-lecture basic science curriculum, two seminar series, bioethics and biostatistics lectures, grant preparation workshops, inventorship forums, teaching opportunities, and mandatory abstract submission to professional meetings. Institutional support will be provided for the salaries of the program directors and mentors, and for books and journals and for salary supplementation for the clinician-scientist. The goals outlined in this proposal align closely with the institution's efforts to encourage clinical and translational research in a General Clinical Research Center (approved in early 2003) and in the new Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, a research-based, 5-year program that will admit its first class in 2004.